Pallet magazine



Aug. 10, 1965 Filed June 16, 1961 J. MILLER PALLET MAGAZINE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 John Miller by W, 41221 l ww ATTORNEYS Aug. 10, 1965 J.MILLER 3,199,725

PALLET MAGAZINE Filed June 16, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/G 4 H5 5 FIG (5INVENTOI? John M/YIer A TTORNE Y5 y WX M United States Patent 3,329,725PALLET MAGAZQE John Miller, (lamoria Heights, NIL, assignor to The F. 52M. Schaefer Brewing Company, Brooklyn, NY. Filed Eune in, 1961, er. No.7,722 3 Claims. (Cl. 2231-23-3) The present invention relates to animproved magazine for pallets particularly pallets which are bulky andhave considerable weight such as are used in the palletizing of kegs andthe like.

An object of the invention is to provide a construction for feeding thebottom pallet to a conveyor for movement to a main palletizing stationor an intermediate pallet station.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein acontrolled lift supports the pile of pallets in the magazine duringcertain periods and to provide retaining means at other periodscontrolled by the movement of the lift.

A still further object is to provide retaining means for the palletsstacked in the magazine which are operative to release at predeterminedperiods the bottom pallet of the stack.

With the above and other objects in view, a preferred form of theinvention is shown in the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view showing the arrangement for feeding base palletsto the main palletizing station and intermediate pallets to anintermediate transfer station.

FIGURE 2 is diagrammatic view illustrating the controls for removing thebottom pallet from a stack of pallets.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the magazine with parts broken away.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken upon section line 4-4 of FIGURE3.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 showing the parts in a differentposition, and

FIGURE 6 is also a similar view to FIGURE 4 showing the parts in stillanother position.

In FIGURE 1 a magazine 39 is shown for the base pallets 31 which areconveyed to the main palletizing station 32. The kegs or other bulkyarticles which ar to be palletiz d are fed by the skids 331 to thestation 32. The palletized load is then removed from the station 32 viathe conveyor 33. When a plurality of tiers are built at the mainpalletizing station 32 then intermediate pallets are fed from theintermediate pallet magazine 34 via the conveyor to the intermediatetransfer station 35. The intermediate pallets are shown at 36.

The invention applies to both magazines 3% but will be particularlydescribed with reference to magazines 34 for intermediate pallets. Theconstruction is used particularly in a palletizing apparatus such asdisclosed in serial No. 498,646 filed April 1, 1955 by John Miner andVincent J. Russornan, entitled Conveyor Keg Palletizing Device nowPatent No. 3,022,617. The magazine 34 comprises a frame 37 extendingfrom the floor 38 generally to the ceiling 39. Associated with suchframe enclosing the pallets are the gates which are opened by thepistons 43 and 44 by appropriate mechanisms such as shown in the aboveapplication whenever it is desired to load the magazine. The palletswill then be stacked in the magazine as hown in FIGURES 4 to 6. Locateddirectly below the center of the pallets is a lift 11 having a platform12 thereon. The lift 11 is reciprocated in the cylinder 42 showndiagrammatically in FIG- URE 2. The lift operates between the conveyorchains 25 which rotate over the sprockets 45 which may be driven in anydesired way. At the start of an operation for dispensing a pallet fromthe magazine the stack of pallets 3d are retained as shown in FIGURE 4by the fingers and 3- 29 and 23.. The fingers 2i? and 21 are pivotallyconnected to links 46 which are pivoted to the frame at 47 and are movedinwardly to the position shown in FIG- URES 4 and 6 or outwardly asshown in FIGURE 5 by the rods 43. The rods 43 are connected byappropriate rods and gears as shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 1 indotted lines to the piston rod 49 reciprocating in a cylinder 33. Thedetailed construction of the retaining fingers 2% and 21 is shown in theapplication above referred to.

When a bottom pallet 35 is lowered by the piston 11 until it rests uponthe conveyor chains 25 it is carried by such chains until it strikes astop piston 28 and is released by such stop piston 2i; at theappropriate time to be forwarded to either the palletizing station orthe intermediate pallet transfer station. Upon being carried forward tothe inte mediate pallet transfer station the pallet 36 will strike aswitch 27 which then initiates the upward movement of the piston 11 byoperating the valve 39. A similar procedure for initiating the action ofa similar lift 11 at the base pallet magazine is initiated by the witch5% upon removal of a palletized load from the palletizing station by theconveyor 33. The stop piston for the base pallets is indicated at 51.

Upon upward movement of the piston 11, see FIG- URE 2, the platform 12thereon which is connected to the chain la initiates a movement of suchchain around the sprockets 52 clockwise. At the proper place in suchchain 14 there is positioned a cam 15. The cam 15 will operate in propersequence the valves 16, 17 and 22. As above indicated the valve it) hasbeen opened by the switch 27 so that hydraul'c fluid is pumped into thecylinder 42 .to raise the piston 11. Then as the chain 14 movesclockwise the cam 15 trips the first valve 16 and this valve willcontrol the further movement of the piston 11 and the valve 10 is out ofaction. The piston 11 continues its upward movement and the cam 15 tripsthe valve 17. The valve I37 operates the piston 49 reciprocating in thecylinder 18 to operate the fingers 2d and 21 V/hiCL- are now withdrawnto the position shown in FIG- URE 5.

Prior to complete withdrawal of the fingers 2t and 21, the piston 11continues its upward movement until the cam 15 strikes the valve 22. Atsuch time the piston 11 is in its upward position as shown in FIGURE 5supporting the stack of pallets and the fingers 2i) and 21 arecompletely withdrawn from such stack. The operation of valve 22 reversesthe hydraulic feed to the cylinder 2 and the piston it begins itsdownward movement carrying the load of pallets 36. Tue piston 11 movesdownwardly the depth of one pallet and stops. This is all valvecontrolled. At the momentary halting of the platform E2 the fingers 2iand 23 move back into the position shown in FIGURE 6 and again supportthe entire stack of pallets with the exception of the lowermost whichrests upon the platform 12. The piston 11 again starts its movementdownwardly until it deposits such lowermost pallet upon the conveyorchain 25 and the pallet is moved away from the magazine by the chains25.

As previously pointed out such pallet dispensed from the magazine movesforward only to where it is stopped by the stop piston 23 and is movedforwardly again by the conveyors 25 where it trips the switch 27 whichagain initiates the cylindrical movement set forth above. The stoppiston 23 is released when a pallet 36 or 31 is removed from either theintermediate pallet transfer tation or the palletizing station by anappropriate switch.

On the downward movement of the lift 11 the chain 14 will movecounterclockwise and the cam 15 upon tripping the valves 17 and willreverse the feed to the cylinders 13 and 42.

It is thought that the invention and its advantages will be understoodfrom the foregoing description and it is apparent that various changesmay be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the partswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention orsacrificing its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described andillustrated in the drawings being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A magazine for pallets and the like and dispensing means thereforcomprising a container wherein said pallets may be stacked, meanssupporting said stacked pallets, a lift movable vertically upwardly anddownwardly under said stacked pallets, means for removing saidsupporting means when said lift is in its upper position and thenreturning said supporting means when said lift has moved downwardly thedepth of one pallet, a conveyor for moving pallets from said containerextending below said container at the sides of said lift, an endlesschain driven by said lift, a cam upon said chain and means cooperatingwith said cam controlling the movements of said sup porting means andsaid lift.

2. A magazine for pallets and the like and dispensing means thereforcomprising a container wherein said pallets may be stacked, meanssupporting said stacked pallets, a lift movable vertically upwardly anddownwardly under said stacked pallets, means for removing saidsupporting means when said lift is in its upper position and thenreturning said supporting means when said lift has moved downwardly thedepth of one pallet, an endless chain 4- driven by said lift, a cam uponsaid chain and a series of fixed spaced valves cooperating with said camcontrolling the movements of said supporting means and said lift.

3. A magazine for pallets and the like and dispensing means thereforcomprising a container wherein said pallets may be stacked, meanssupporting said stacked pallets, a lift movable vertically upwardly anddownwardly under said stacked pallets, means for removing saidsupporting means when said lift is in its upper position and thenreturning said supporting means when said lift has moved downwardly thedepth of one pallet, an endless chain driven by said lift, a cam uponsaid chain and three fixed valves in spaced relation cooperating withsaid cam controlling the movements of said supporting means and saidlift.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,330,639 2/20Leumann 221-298 1,645,619 10/27 Olson 198232 2,629,503 2/53 Neja 221-2252,640,606 6/53 Cox 221-225 X 2,858,043 10/58 Fenton et al 22l223 X2,976,981 3/61 Peras 198-427 3,003,661 10/61 McGrath 22l290 EVERETT \V.KERBY, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS J, 'DEMBO, Examiner.

1. A MAGAZINE FOR PALLETS AND THE LIKE AND DISPENSING MEANS THEREFORCOMPRISING A CONTAINER WHEREIN SAID PALLETS MAY BE STACKED, MEANSSUPPORTING SAID STACKED PALLETS, A LIFT MOVABLE VERTICALL UPWARDLY ANDDOWNWARDLY UNDER SAID STACKED PALLETS, MEANS FOR REMOVING SAIDSUPPORTING MEANS WHEN SAID LIFT IS IN ITS UPPER POSITION AND THENRETURNING SAID SUPPORTING MEANS WHEN SAID LIFT HAS MOVED DOWNWARDLY THEDEPTH OF SAID PALLET, A CONVEYOR FOR MOVING PALLETS FROM SAID CONTAINEREXTENDING BELOW SAID CONTAINER AT THE SIDES OF SAID LIFT, AN ENDLESSCHAIN DRIVEN BY SAID LIFT, A CAM UPON SAID CHAIN AND MEANS COOPERATINGWITH SAID CAM CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENTS OF SAID SUPPORTING MEANS ANDSAID LIFT.